Knife for carving leather and the like



y 6, 1953 R. E. REYNOLDS 2,639,505

KNIFE FOR CARVING LEATHER AND T HE LIKE Filed March 4, 1952 F76. 2. F/G.3.

INVENTOR.

EAL PH E es Y/v040s,

Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNIFE FOR CARVINGLEATHER AND THE LIKE This invention relates to cutting devices, and moreparticularly, has reference to a knife having a swiveled blade andadapted particularly for carving leather and similar materials.

In cutting a material such as leather, the worker is often required tocut ornamental patterns and the like in the material, and heretofore,difficulty has been experienced in cutting the material with a desiredamount of facility. This is due to the fact that generally, the blade ofthe knife is fixedly associated with the handle, and accordingly it isnecessary that the worker manipulate the handle almost continuously, forthe purpose of disposing the cutting edge of the knife along the linewhere the material is being out.

In view of the above, it is one important object of the presentinvention to provide a knife of the swiveled blade type, that is adaptedparticularly for cutting leather, the blade being swiveled or casteredupon the handle associated therewith, in such a manner as to followfaithfully the line along which the handle is being moved during thecutting of a piece of material.

Another important object is to provide, in a blade as stated, a simplearrangement whereby the blade may be swivelly mounted, the mounting ofthe blade being such as to cause the shank of said blade to hold thecomponent sections of the handle against relative movement.

Yet another important object is to provide, in a swiveled bladeconstruction for a knife, complementary means on the shank of the bladeand the handle sections that will prevent accidental withdrawal of theblade from the sections with which it is assembled.

A still further important object is to provide, in a knife for carvingleather and like materials, a castered blade the cutting edge of whichis so curved and inclined as to cause said edge to enter the materialwith a minimum amount of difficulty, thereby to facilitate movement ofthe knife over the material during the cutting operation.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claimsappended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the several views, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a knife formed in accordance withthe present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational View of the knife as it appears when viewedfrom the left of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view;and

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral H] has beenapplied generally to a knife handle, said handle including complementaryhandle sections I2, M respectively.

The handle sections are relatively elongated, and are formed with flat,contacting, inner surfaces l6, l8, and transversely curved outersurfaces which, when the handle sections are connected, impart to thehandle a circular crosssectional shape. At their opposite ends, thehandle sections are rounded off as at 20, 22, in the preferredembodiment of the invention.

Formed in the handle section If is a transverse opening 24, said openingbeing disposed medially between the opposite ends of said section. Atone end, the opening 24 opens upon the flat inner surface I6 of thehandle section, said opening communicating at its other end with acounterbore 26 formed in the rounded outer surface of the handlesection.

The other handle section 14 is formed with a transverse opening 28, saidopening communicating at its inner end with the flat inner surface 18and at its outer end with a. nut-receiving recess 30 polygonally shapedfor the purpose of holding against rotation a nut seated therein.

When the handle sections are engaged against one another, the openings24, 28 are brought into registration, for extension therethrough of aconnecting bolt 32. The connecting bolt 32 has a threaded shank adaptedfor engagement with a nut 34, that is seated in the recess 3d of thehandlesection l4.

At one end of the handle section I2, I form in the flat inner surface I6thereof a longitudinal groove 36, said groove being extendedlongitudinally and centrally of the inner surface It and opening at oneend upon the lower end of the handle section in which it is formed. Thesection It is provided with a longitudinal groove 38, said groove facingthe groove 36 when the handle sections are connected. Since the grooves36, 38 are respectively formed to a semicircular crosssectional shape,they cooperate to form a longitudinal bore in one end of the handle,that extends longitudinally and centrally of the handle, and is formedto a'circular crosssection.

In the handle section I2, at the inner end of the groove 36, I providehemispherical recess 40, said recess communicating with the groove 36(Figure 4) and being adapted to face a hemispherical recess 42 formed inthe section 14 and communicating with the groove 38 of said section M.The recesses 40, 42 coact to provide a spherical cavity within thehandle, at the inner end of the longitudinal bore thereof.

A knife blade has been designated generally by the reference numeral 44,and is of integral construction. Said blade includes an elongated shank45, that extends through the longitudinal bore of the handle, said shankhaving one end projecting beyond the lower end of the handle. The projecting end'of th'exshanklis integrallyformedwith a lateral extension48, said extension being of fiat, curved formation and having asharpened cutting edge 50.

throughout its length, and is arranged obliquely to the axis of theswiveled shank 4B. As a result, when the handle is drawn over a; pieceof material to be out, not shown,,the. cutting edge 50 will penetratethe material'ina shearing action that will facilitate the cuttingoperation.v Addi? tionally, the lateral extension 48 on which thecutting edge is-formed will trail the. handle it, and: will followvalong. the. line alongwhich the material is beingcut.

On. the inner endiof theshank. 46., 1 form a sphericalenlargementorball-52, said-ball being proportioned to-flt-withinthe cavity. 49, thusto preventwithdrawalnoithe shank from thehandle when. said. handle has.its componentsections joined by'the connecting.b01t-.3 2..

It is also believed. of importance to. note that the bladeM,.whilebeingheldby,thehandle sections againstwvithdrawal, will. atthesame time hold the handlesectionsagainst relative. pivotal movementabout. the axi'gof. the single connect? ing boltjfiIn.thisway,,Iamableto provide a handlehaving. a single connecting, means32, a bladebeingrotatably mounted in thehandle and beingadaptedfat thesametime toholdthe. handle sections against relativemovement.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not. necessarily confined.to the specific use or usesthereoi describedabove, since it may be.utilizedifor, any; purpose towhich it may be suited. Nor istheinventionto be necessarily limited'to thelspecific constructionillustrated and described, since. such. construction. islonly intendedto be illustrative. of .the principles. of .operationand the meanspresently devised'to. carry, out said principles, it being consideredthat the. invention comprehendsany minor changesin construction thatmay) be permitted. within the scope. of 'the appended claims;

Whatis claimed is.

1. A. knife of the swivel bladetype for carving leather and likematerialscomprisingai handle including a pair of'complementary handlesec- As may be particularly noted from Figure 1, the cutting edge-58 iscurved tions having fiat contacting inner surfaces formed with groovesextending longitudinally of the sections and facing one another to forma longitudinal bore in the handle, removable securing means extendingthrough said handle sections intermediate the ends thereof andconnecting the handle sections together, said inner faces havingrecesses communicating with the respective grooves andi facing oneanother-"to form' acavlty in the handle, and a blade swivellymounted onthe handle, said blade including a shank extending through and rotatablein said bore and having one-endlprojecting beyond one end of the handlesections, a lateral extension formed upon said projecting end of theshank and provided with a cutting'edge; and means on the shankconformably, fittingv and rotatable in said cavity to provide meanseffective to hold the shank against with-- drawal fi'om the bore.

2. A knife of the swiveled blade type for carving leather and. likematerials, comprising: a handle including a-pair of complementary,handle sectionseachofwhich.- is formed with a single openingintermediateits ends; a-bolt-extending through said openings and connecting thehandle sections together, said sections having fiat, con.- tacting',inner surfaces formed with groovesextending longitudinally of. thesections and'facing one-another to provide. alongitudinal bore in-thehandle, saidlinner: surfaces having'hemispherical recessescommunicating-t with the" grooves and facing. one-another-toiorm a aspherical cavityin the handle; anda blade 'swivelly; mounted on thehandle; saidblade including a shank' extending throughlandv rota-tablein-said'bore, one end-of the shank projecting-.beyondione end :ofthe-sections; a lateral: extension formedz upon said projeoting end of:the: shank and: provided with a cuttingedgaand a-ball formedonthe shankand rotatable" in saidcavity" to provide means effective tohold theshankagainst withdrawal from the bore; said shank holdingthe' sectionsagainst relative pivotalamovement: about theaxis'o'f said bolt.

RALPH: REYNOLDS.

References Cited in the-file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS-Number Name Date 1 207,866" Hartford .Sept. 10,1878 1,775,813' Colby.Se;ot. 16, 1930 2,425,665 Arden l2, 1947 2,450,346 Krilow Sept. 28,1948 2,450,347 Kril'ow Sept. 28', 1948

